Brotherhood Trust
by KaylaDestroyer
Summary: Manny and Diego were the best of friends. Manny thought he and Diego had complete faith in each other. Diego didn't want to make life harder for the friend that lost his first family. But when and unexpected attack brings about inexplicable actions, it may be time to figure out exactly where a certain mammoth and saber stand. DiegoXShira DiegoXManny (friendship) Rated T for blood.
1. Chapter 1

Brotherhood Trust

Manny looked around the dark cave in confusion. He had just fallen asleep beside his mate and daughter a moment ago, so where were they now? Suddenly the room turned a crimson shade of red, and he spun around wildly to see Peaches laying on the ground behind him. Diego sat beside her, bent over her throat. The mammoth gulped and approached the pair of family members, trembling and confused. "P-peaches?" he stuttered. She didn't reply, or give nary a flinch.

Manny's eyes widened. "D-diego?" The saber gave a jerk, before slowly sitting up and turning to face him. Manny wished he hadn't. The saber's muzzle was also stained a deep crimson, his once pure white teeth red with blood. Manny gasped and took a step back, not only horrified and disgusted, but also unnerved by the brutal, wild look in Diego's eyes. It was an unfeeling, _harsh_ look.

One that Manny hadn't seen since the saber had been under Soto's harsh grip. "Diego, what on earth..._why_?" he whimpered. Diego _loved_ Peaches to death! Metaphorically speaking at least! This...this was no product of love. Something had happened to him, something terrible. "What have you..._How_ could you..." The saber stood and took a step towards him, eyes glinting like emerald ice, unforgiving and bitterly cold.

"Packs provide meat for each other. They hunt in groups, and share fellowship in the hunt." Diego began to shake slightly, as though a great emotion was swelling with him. "Do you know...what a _stress_ it is...to be so _alone_? To have no one to hunt with? To have no one like _you_?"

"Of course!" Manny replied indignantly. "Did you forget how Ellie came to be part of the herd? I thought I was the last mammoth alive!"

"It's still different!" Diego snarled. Manny took a step back in surprise. Diego had never made such a sound since joining the herd; he seemed truly..._wild_. "An herbivore's survival is much less daunting and difficult than a predator's. You wake up and go outside to see what's growing nearby for breakfast. You don't have to struggle to live everyday."

"Diego, _whatever's_ wrong, please, just-"

"No!" the saber snapped. "It's time you understood. Being a wild saber is hard, but you know what's harder?" Manny felt too shocked and fearful to reply. "The only thing _harder_," he continued, stalking slowly towards the mammoth. "Is having the elements of your environment shifted backwards." Manny blinked in confusion at the statement.

"You don't know the stress of going from wild and under crushing ruling," Diego paused, staring deeply into Manny's eyes with his own bitter, menacing ones. "to docile. With no rules at all. Nothing to _contain_ you." Then, without warning, the saber leapt at him. Manny, coming out of his stupor, narrowed his eyes angrily and deflected the saber with his tusk, sending him crashing into one of the crimson cave walls. Then he wrapped his trunk around Diego's throat, intent on choking him somewhat, and threw him across the cave and into another wall.

A surprisingly soft yelp and a cry of, "STOP!" pulled Manny into reality, as he blinked his eyes open. He found himself back in his cave, morning sunlight streaming in to illuminate the rock room. Ellie was to his right, no longer hanging from her tree branch but standing and holding her trunk out to him desperately, a shocked and terrified expression in her eyes. Peaches was beside her, sitting on the ground and trembling, staring at her father with wide eyes. Manny blinked in bewilderment, looking around in confusedly.

"Wha-"

"What is _wrong_ with you?!" Ellie demanded. Manny opened his mouth to reply that he had absolutely no idea what she was going on about, before hearing a small whine. Whipping his head back around, he found himself face to face with a dreadful sight. Diego lay against the cave wall, appearing as normal as he ever could, panting rapidly. A long gash ran from his left shoulder down to his left flank, bright red and pouring blood. Manny's eyes widened, but the rest of him remained frozen in numerous emotions. The saber opened his eyes weakly, revealing a pair of weak, frightened emerald green orbs.

He stared up at Manny with the fear of a young child, panting and trembling, even attempting to stand. But his attempt only ended in crashing back to the ground with a pained yelp. He then simply laid on the ground, trembling and whining in the most pitiful fashion Manny had ever seen, even more so for the specific saber in question. He blinked rapidly, trying to come up with an answer, a reason, an event that had to do with what was going on. Then his eyes traveled to his left tusk. Most of it remained white as ever, the ivory untouched. But the tip of it, and maybe six inches down, was coated in sticky red.

And that was when he remembered his terrifying nightmare. It was then he realized that Diego's injury had not come out of thin air. "No." he whispered, barely more than a stressed exhale. "What have I done?" He took a small step forward and extended his trunk, a pleading and apologetic look in his eyes. But Diego only gave a dramatic flinch that traveled down his entire being, and fled the cave. Manny turned and tried to follow him, but the saber was too fast.

"Wait, come back!" he called desperately, nothing weighing more heavily on his mind than to right his wrongs. But Diego had disappeared. Most likely, to Manny's despair, to return to his and Shira's den. The one negative aspect being that it was in a secret location. Saber tradition dictated that no one bar the two mates knew the whereabouts of the den the female chose to have her cubs in until after they had arrived. Thus, as she had reached the last leg of her pregnancy, Shira had ultimately and completely withdrawn from the herd, staying in the cave or it's extremely immediate vicinity. Diego was the only one who came to the herd now, and brought any news of the outside world to his mate.

In other words, Manny would _never_ find the saber unless he came out in the open himself. Or if he looked with all his might and came across the den by accident. He stood at the cave entrance, staring out into the distance dismally. Ellie soon carefully lumbered up beside him. "Manny," she began quietly. "what happened?"

"A nightmare." he replied softly. "A terrible, terrible nightmare."

* * *

Shira's ears perked at the sound of her mate's return. She lifted her head from its position on the ground to look up at his muscled, sleek form as it entered their den. It was a fairly small space, but with the two sabers being the only occupants it had plenty of room to spare. He lay down beside her, curling up around her form protectively and gently nuzzling her. His manner was stiff and nervous at first, until Shira, sensing his unusual temperament, nuzzled back and licked his nose. Then an aura of unease seemed to dissipate from around him, and she could sense him relaxing as he wrapped his neck around her's. All of a sudden the stench of blood attacked her nose, and she pulled away to examine him.

She was terrified to see a long gash across his left side, bleeding heavily and already staining his fur. Although fearful of it's giver, she simply began licking the wound with no questions. Diego, although giving silent, physical protests at first, soon relaxed a bit further and lay his head on the ground, allowing her to clean the wound and encourage it to scab over. At last she was satisfied with the wound's condition, and continued to massage his still tense form with her tongue until he had calmed to her liking. Once the peace had been returned to the den, she lay back down and snuggled into her mate, tucking her head into his neck. She couldn't resist licking over the white fur on the underside of his throat for a moment - as it was the fluffiest and she had discovered she rather liked such a texture - before making herself one hundred percent comfortable and beginning to speak. "What happened?" she whispered.

Diego's entire body seemed to heave a great sigh, before explaining what had happened that morning. Shira was shocked to say the least; Manny and Diego were the best of friends that she had ever seen. Why would Manny _ever_ attack him in such a brutal way? "Shira...please. Stay inside."

"What else am I supposed to do?" she replied, gently laying a paw on her extremely swollen stomach. The thought of cubs was new and a bit strange to her, but she was happy and excited all the same.

"I mean...just don't talk to anyone, keep away from other animals."

"If you're trying to be over protective, I think it's a bit lame to be copying tradition." Shira said with a smirk. Diego sighed again.

"Shira, I want us to just stay away from the herd for a little while. I'm worried about...how we fit into it and...I'm not going to risk you or the cubs." Shira considered his words silently for a moment, before sighing and snuggling into him a bit further.

"Fine. But you know Ellie won't be pleased." she agreed, deciding to at least try starting a conversation. "She'll want to talk my ears off when we get back."

"Yeah." Her mate's reluctant reply worried Shira. They would go back, wouldn't they? A herd stuck together, had each other's backs. That was what Diego had told her.

* * *

**Hey everyone! So yeah, new story started, and it's going to be from multiple points of view. Don't worry; I won't take forever to update, you'll see why at the end. ;) So if you have read this first chapter plz review and tell me what you think of it! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

Brotherhood Trust

Two weeks had passed. Neither saber had made contact with the herd, simply withdrawing away from the world and into the den as the due date approached. Shira was nearly immobile, and Diego was simply nervous for her. He wanted to be close at hand should she go into labor, and the longest trips he took away from the den were to hunt or to get water. Sometimes he would be sentinel at the entrance, hanging around in the den's vicinity and every so often stopping by the entrance to check for any disturbances from within. Usually such duties were only performed early in the morning or in the evening. He spent great amounts of time with Shira, talking or simply laying with her as a companion for company. His wound from Manny pained him greatly, and sometimes he would accidentally reopen it, resulting in Shira forcing him to lay down for a few minutes so she could clean it.

As he went off to hunt down their lunch this day, he scented the air according to his routine to make sure no one dangerous was nearby, before heading off to find a herd of deer.

* * *

Shira lay curled in a ball on the far side of the den, her nose buried in the fur on her forelegs. Her stomach protruded somewhat awkwardly from her position, but she had learned not to mind it. She was rather fond of the den she had chosen, for it was the total contrast of the ocean she had once lived on for so many brutal years. It was a considerable large hollow beneath a giant ironwood tree, its entrance a mass of tangled roots protruding from the ground due to their owner being tipped back somewhat. Erosion and most likely other animals having made homes under the tree previously had widened it out over the years so that it was the perfect size for a pair of sabers awaiting the birth of their first litter. It had at first been only a mildly difficult task to squeeze herself in and out underneath the tree roots when she had still been slim, and continuing on while the cubs were still small. But the day had come when Diego, while watching her struggle to slip out, had stopped her with a gentle push from his nose.

He had told her to stop and go back back inside. For good. Shira, although displeased with the fact that she was no longer small enough to leave their hollow, retreated inside all the same with Diego's promise of bringing her a good lunch. And there she had stayed everyday since then, becoming larger and larger as the cubs grew and enjoying Diego's affections for her when he stayed inside as well. She had to admit she liked having a small, personal space to share with her mate, but was still itching to get outside again. She was startled out of her nap by the sound of heavy footfalls, and pressed herself against the back wall fearfully. Only one creature on the island could make such a sound when walking.

Soon enough a large, light brown shape appeared at the hollow entrance. Shira curled up nervously, praying that she wouldn't be discovered. But she would have no such luck. "Shira?" Ellie's voice asked quietly. The saber bit her lip; she couldn't reply, no matter how much she wanted to. While she missed Ellie's company sorely, she had grown somewhat afraid of the mammoth. Diego's tale of Manny's surprise attack still haunted her.

And being so far along into her pregnancy, her protective instincts were beginning to kick in and cloud over civility. Ellie's trunk then reached into the hollow and began feeling around, patting the dirt floor and walls curiously. Once the tip had come within inches of Shira, she let out a sharp, 'Don't!" The trunk jerked back in surprise. Shira, not wanting to sound bratty, continued. "Diego will get upset if he smells you on me. As it is he'll be able to smell that you were at our front door."

Shira's voice trembled frailly with fear. Ellie's trunk withdrew respectfully, but the shemoth didn't take her leave. "Shira, can you tell me anything? What happened? Why is Diego doing this?" The female saber pursed her lips for a moment, unsure as to exactly how much she should reveal and shaken by the breach in her security. A birthing den was to remain secret until the cubs were born, and Ellie's knowledge of her location wasn't a comforting one.

"Diego's just afraid. And he doesn't trust Manny anymore."

"Why?" Shira chose her next words carefully.

"He told me...back when I first joined the herd...that until Peaches was born, he never completely trusted Manny."

"_What_?"

"I know, it doesn't make sense, but think about it. Diego is a predator and Manny is by all means prey. Diego never thought their friendship would last even after what happened with the whole fight against Soto. And when you came along, he just thought Manny would draw away and become defensive and...sooner or later he'd just have to leave. When you found on Peaches was on her way, Diego just felt like it would be the last straw for Manny. He'd crack and tell him to leave." Shira paused for a moment, allowing Ellie to digest the information.

"But...he didn't want to...have to go through all of that. Manny and Sid were his best friends and...being forced to leave them would be the most painful thing he'd ever experienced. So he decided it would be easier to leave on his own. He spent less and less time in the herd, and eventually decided it was time to make his leave. Manny of course didn't take his decision well and...his reaction only confirmed Diego's suspicions. It wasn't until, stuck in the dino world, at the plates of woe, that he truly tried to establish a full connection of trust between them. He wanted Manny to trust that he could protect you."

"And when he _did_...it just, changed everything. Diego finally felt like he could trust the herd, and he wanted to stay. It was like the bond that he had always wanted with his packmates had been formed between him, Manny, Sid, all of you." Silence reigned over the pair for a moment.

"But...when Manny went loco on him that morning..." Ellie started, sounding as though everything was clicking into place in her mind.

"Everything came rushing back." Shira finished. "His fear, his distrust, his nervousness...it was all too overwhelming. He didn't know what to do so he ran. He felt...cast out. And he didn't want to face what appeared to be his greatest fear." Ellie sighed.

"Tell him...tell him I'm sorry. I would never want to the two of you to leave and...I feel really guilty that I made him feel like I was taking away one of his only friends. I still trust him, and so does Manny." Ellie pleaded. "He's so ashamed, he said the night before he had had some terrible nightmare about Diego attacking him and Peaches, and he fought back. But...the fighting back part was all too real." Shira swallowed thickly, piecing togethe what had happened. "Tell him that we miss him; we want him to come back _home_."

Shira nodded silently. "I will. He's been a bit lonely since he left and-" she was cut off by a loud roar.

"GET BACK!" Diego's voice shouted. Ellie gave a gasp and ran off, which only worried Shira. A moment later Diego surged into the den, nose sniffing the ground intently, an inflamed look in his eyes. Shira simply stayed in her curled position as he stopped and growled lowly to himself. "She was in here." he muttered moodily. "Did she hurt you?" he asked, proceeding to sniff her down. Shira didn't move, thankful Ellie hadn't touched her.

Once satisfied Diego gave a huff that rippled through his fur and laid down beside her, appeased and calm. "You didn't snap at her, or _hurt_ her, did you?" Shira asked seriously. Diego shook her head and then laid it over her's.

"No." he replied, his voice heavy with sincerity. "I just...she was right outside, and she reached in here...she could have hurt you." Shira sighed and pressed her nose into his neck.

"She could always hurt one of us Diego. Or Manny, or even Peaches; they're our _friends_, they make the ultimate choice that hurting us isn't acceptable. They trust us and have faith in our trust in them." Diego gave a deep sigh.

"No. They don't." he replied. Curling up against her, he lay his head on her and settled down seemingly to sleep. Shira gently licked the fluffy underside of his throat before settling down as well. She could handle a little nap before lunch if that was what it took to make him feel better. When she awoke, large proportions of a deer carcass had been dragged down into the hollow and Diego was across the space from her, waiting for her to eat first. After having her fill Shira settled back down comfortable against the wall as Diego ate, using one paw to gently rub her stomach. She was determined to restore his trust in Manny, but she knew it would be out of the question until the cubs had been born and had aged a little.

Once Diego had finished, he cleared the scraps away from the den floor, placing them outside at a safe distance so they wouldn't be disturbed by scavengers. As Shira lay waiting for him to return, she felt a strong kick from one of the cubs. Half wincing and half smiling, she patted the area of contact fondly, hoping the child would settle down. She felt a total of four more kicks, before the cubs had officially calmed themselves. Then however, a deep pain engulfed her abdomen, and she gave a full out wince and groan, holding her stomach. The pain left as soon as it came, but Shira suddenly felt as though she were in the middle of a heavy sprint and her heart was pounding, becoming short of breath. She panted, wondering what was wrong.

As another surge of pain went through her, causing her to emit an even louder groan, she realized that the time had come. "Diego?" she called fearfully, wondering why he hadn't returned. She waited for his reply, panting. "Diego!" she called louder as another intense wave of pain came, digging her claws into the ground.

* * *

**So how was chapter 2? Better? Worse? Same? Plz tell me in a review! Thank you to:**  
**Amazing Guest**  
**MBSAVfan1**  
**Angelotti**  
**Diego X Shira**  
**Baby'sgotback**  
**Nathaniel1864**  
**Funkywatermelon**  
**TheJoyousCrosser**  
**rascalblack12**  
**for reviewing the previous chapter! **


	3. Chapter 3

Brotherhood Trust

Diego peered through the bushes, eyes narrowed and calculating. Three new sabers stood a few meters away, talking amongst each other. "I'm telling you!" one of them insisted; he was a dark honey color with amber eyes and a large, strong build. "This territory is small; the pack who owns it can't be large. We should do more than just seek refuge, we should take it over and expand the borders." A deep rumble started in the back of Diego's throat, but he kept it in check so as to ensure it didn't escape as a full growl.

"And _I'm_ telling _you_ that's a _suicide_ mission!" Another male insisted. He was less brawny and his fur was closer in shade to Diego's, but his golden eyes gleamed with intelligence. "We have no idea exactly how large this pack is, or if it's even a pack! It could be a pair of scouts, and if we attack they'll report us to their alpha and we could get in _serious trouble_." The third male, whose pelt was black as could be, simply sat in silence with his back to Diego, watching his comrades argue. He seemed to be physically in between the other two. Diego's ear suddenly flicked as it caught the sound of a faint cry, and he stiffened; Shira.

After disposing of the leftovers, he had caught the trio of males' scent on the wind, and followed it. Now their situation was even more precarious, and Shira sounded as though she was in trouble. After carefully backing away from the bush, he turned and fled back to the den, making sure to cross as many rivers and streams as possible. When he finally reached the hollow, he was terrified by the pants and outcries coming from the small space. He thrust himself under the tree roots and landed on the ground in such a rush he nearly lost his footing. Righting himself, he hastily made his way to Shira and nuzzled her panting face. Her blue orbs opened and stared up at him fearfully.

"They're coming!" she whimpered. Diego's eyes widened and he settled himself beside her, gently pressing her head to the ground with his own and licking her ears to comfort her.

"Sh sh sh, it's okay." he whispered. "I'm here, you're gonna' be fine." Shira continued to pant and whimper, letting out a loud moan every now and again. Diego did all he could to comfort her; licking her, nuzzling her, even applying gentle pressure to her stomach. Fifteen minutes passed before they heard the first cries of the oldest. Diego was the one to gently grip the cub in his jaws and bring it up within reach of Shira's tongue, setting the squealing red form in front of her. She instantly wrapped her paws around it and began licking it clean.

Diego smiled softly as the child was revealed, even though most of it was hidden behind Shira's paw. He managed to push his nose around her paw and sniff it gently for a moment, before she became protective and pulled the child away with a grunt, situating it next to her stomach. Diego was satisfied for the moment; he knew his eldest child was a boy. Another ten minutes passed before Shira gave small scream, and then the air was pierced by the second born's cries. Diego once again gently wrapped his mouth around it and lifted it an inch or two off the ground, setting it in front of Shira's muzzle. She licked the cub clean, then held it against her chest for a moment as she panted. Diego took this opportunity to gently scent over the hidden child, before Shira grunted moodily and slid the child down next to its sibling.

Diego sat back in satisfaction; the second cub was a boy as well. Shira lay on the ground panting heavily, moaning loudly and digging her claws into the dirt. Diego gently laid his head over hers, whispering shushings in her ear. "It's gonna' be okay, Shira." The female merely cringed and whimpered, snuggling into him slightly. "Just breathe, okay? Just breathe."

Diego's ear flickered at the soft sound of scufflings outside the hollow, and his eyes widened. He lifted his head to look up at the tree roots, spotting a black pelt blocking the sunlight. His jaw dropped slightly in shock and fear, realizing that he was in one of the worst possible predicaments. Shira, as if sensing his unease, began panting nervously and whimpering. Diego instantly replaced his head over her's, mind racing. "Shira," he whispered. "we need to be as quiet as possible."

"There's someone outside." She calmed down instantly at his touch, but was still panting slightly and clearly in pain. She pressed her nose against the underside of his throat, breathing heavily.

"Diego." her voice came out as a squeak.

"What?" he whispered. A shudder ran down her form.

"I think...I think the next one is...almost..." she cut herself off with a gasp, pursing her lips tightly. Diego's blood ran cold. Knowing what he had to do, he gently nuzzled Shira, affording her a few licks before standing. For a moment he stared down at her; lips pursed tightly, seemingly holding her breath in. As well as a scream. With a deep sigh through his nose, he turned towards the entrance, glaring up at the black pelt blocking it. His claws expanded into the dirt and his lips peeled back in a snarl.

Looking upwards, he caught a flash of blue eyes, before a loud squeal and the sound of Shira releasing a pent up breath filled the hollow. With a soon regretted roar (for he wasn't keen on frightening his cubs) Diego surged up the entryway and bowled over the black saber, rolling across the ground and pinning the stranger to it.

* * *

Manny sat inside the cave dejectedly, mulling over the horrible deed he had done over and over again, unable to believe that he had attacked Diego so unmercifully. The saber had been a better friend to him than Manny could remember any other mammoth he had known, and this was how he repaid him? By attacking him just because of some stupid nightmare? But where had the nightmare come from in the first place? It didn't matter; he had to set things right. But how? How would he even find Diego?

And what could he possibly do to regain the saber's trust? At that moment he heard Ellie's rumbling footsteps, and looked up upon his mate's arrival. She was smiling softly at him, which confused Manny greatly. "Where were you?" he asked.

"I was just looking around, and, I found where Diego's keeping Shira." Manny's eyes widened and he practically jumped to his feet with excitement.

"Really? Where are they?" he asked eagerly; maybe he could find Diego and apologize after all! Ellie held her trunk up with a serious look in her eyes.

"Manny, wait." she said firmly. "There's something you need to understand." The bull blinked and tilted his head.

"What are you talkin' about?" Ellie sighed.

"When I got there, Shira was the only one home, so to speak. And, she explained to me what Diego had told her."

"What did he say?" Ellie took a deep breath.

"Diego...had trouble, trusting you." Manny blinked in surprise.

"Wha-?"

"Even after the whole fight with Soto, he was afraid of yours and his predator prey differences. He thought that, sooner or later you'd want him to leave, especially after Peaches and I joined the herd." Manny's eyes widened in shock at the revelation; Diego had had such low faith in their friendship? "He thought it would be best if he left before Peaches was born, because he didn't want to deal with you kicking him out because of the baby." Manny's heart plummeted to his toes as he remembered his bitter words to Diego on that fateful day.

"_So you don't wanna' be around my kid?_"

"_No, _that's_ the-! You're takin this, the wrong way!_"

"_No go, go have some _adventure_ mister _adventure guy_. Don't let my _boring_ domestic life hit ya' in the butt on the way out._" Manny lowered his head and closed his eyes, pressing his trunk to his forehead. "Oh...oh I was so _stupid_! How could I _say_ that to him?" he muttered. He looked back at Ellie. "I drove him away, I, I kicked him out!"

"And..." The two mammoths stared sadly at each other for a moment, Manny's sentence hanging dreadfully in the air. "that was what he was afraid of from the start." he finished helplessly. Ellie nodded. Manny sighed and averted his eyes to the ground in shame.

"But when you showed him how much you _did_ trust him," Ellie began. Manny's eyes met hers hopefully. "When you told him to go on ahead and protect me when Peaches was born, then he realized that you trusted him all along. He wanted to stay in the herd because we _trust_ each other. And that's something you don't find in a pack." Manny blinked and mulled over her words. "All Diego wanted was a family that he could trust."

Ellie took a step forward, brushing her trunk against his. "And we, this herd, gave him that." Manny's ears lowered sadly.

"Then why did he run away?" he asked quietly with bluntness. Ellie sighed.

"Because...when you attacked him, after having that nightmare, Diego wasn't expecting it. I mean...he's going to be a father any day now and...well, you're his best friend. He felt safe and protected around you; you had each other's backs. So when you just up and charged at him like that..."

"He didn't feel safe anymore." Manny finished, glancing at his left tusk. He had washed the blood off weeks ago, but in his mind, he could still easily see the red stain, and his heart would weigh heavy with guilt. And Manny knew it was more than the safety of the saber himself; why had he been in the cave that early in the first place? What if he was just there to pester him for advice on how to be a father? Or what if he had specifically come for assurance that Manny would help him protect his family? The mammoth shook his head; he knew what needed to be done. He made his way out of the cave past Ellie, a determined look set in his features.

"Uh, Manny? It's that way." The bull turned back to his mate, then looked in the direction she was pointing. With a sheepish chuckle he changed direction.

"Right, thanks Ellie!"

"It's a little hollow underneath this tree that's tipped over."

"Right, thank you!"

* * *

**So that's chapter 3! What did you guys think? Plz leave a review! I'd personally like to see the story reach 27 reviews since I got nine on the first chapter and figured I could get the same for chapter 2. Only one short though, so again plz review this chapter and the previous one if you have not already done so! Thank you to:**

MusicRocks807

AquilaTempestas

Baby'sgotback

TheJoyousCrosser

kperotti

rascalbalck12

FunkyWatermelon

mwang

MBSAVfan1

for reviewing the previous chapter! :D


	4. Chapter 4

Brotherhood Trust

Diego hissed in pain as the black saber clawed open his wound from Manny, retreating a few steps back towards the hollow. He had to stay near it, lest the black male's companions appear as well. The third cub's whimpers were heard for a few moments before Shira had succeeded in cleaning it off and calming it down. The black saber smirked at him. "Well isn't this just _beautiful_." he sneered. "A brand new family. Sweet, _innocent_ little things cubs are, you know."

"It makes their death all the more _heartfelt_ for the mother." Diego's lips peeled back in snarl and he growled ferociously, claws flexing dangerously.

"Get out of here, _now_!"

"Now why would I do _that_?" the black saber chuckled. "If I leave then I can't dispose of you and those little...furballs." he added with distaste, frowning for a moment.

"My _family_ is of no concern to you!"

"Oh but it is!" the stranger continued, smirking and taking a step forward. "You see, you are the one...in control here. So, by taking over your family I can take control of what little pack you have."

"You bet it's little, cause it's all in there." Diego snarled, jerking his head towards to hollow. The black saber gave him a critical stare, before shrugging.

"No matter. I can make it bigger."

"_You_ can take your sorry carcass off my grounds and _never_ bring it back!" Diego spat. Who knew Gutt was a good source for learning insults? The black saber growled and lowered himself to the ground, which in turn caused Diego to do the same, both ready to spring. Suddenly, however, a deep rumbling shook the ground, and both sabers froze, ears flicking and trying to determine what was happening. "Another _earthquake_?" Diego though in exasperation. "_As if it wasn't enough to tear up the continent and land us on this island-_" His train of thought was cut off however by a large, brown form crashing into the black saber and knocking him away.

Diego blinked in surprise for a moment, before standing, relaxing his stance. He was then shocked to determine that the brown thing was Manny, who turned to him with worried eyes. "You okay?" he asked. Diego's mouth hung open, unable to form proper words. The mammoth's eyes suddenly widened and he took a step toward the orange saber. "You're bleeding!" he exclaimed. Diego flinched and took a step back, eyes slightly widening.

Manny stopped, pulling his trunk back as well. He sighed, before looking Diego in the eyes.

* * *

Shira gave a loud groan, before the squeals and whimpers of the fourth cub was heard. She instantly curved inward and gripped the cub with her teeth, pulling it back up so that she was in a comfortable, stretched out position, before licking it clean. Her mind was half focused on caring for her baby, while the other half listened intently to Manny and Diego's conversation. "Look, _please_ listen to me." the mammoth started. "I'm _sorry_, about _everything_, alright? I was stupid, to say all that I did to you. I should have known better, I should have thought it through."

"And I'm sorry about what happened two weeks ago. I had this freaky nightmare and was by all means sleep fighting when that happened. You were just, conveniently in the vicinity when it happened, okay?" Silence. Shira panted slightly, trying not to distract Diego. "I had no idea you didn't know how much you mattered to me, alright? I didn't know that collaborating together and killing off your twisted, evil pack leader wasn't enough to show a saber that I'm his friend."

"I thought...I thought we were good, when you said you understood what it mean to be in a herd. That we look out for each other. I mean, sure I thought you were dying too and that I'd never see you again, but still." Shira winced and gripped her stomach as another contraction occurred She was nearly back to normal; there could only be one cub left. She held her breath. "I know I messed up really, _really_ badly," Manny continued.

"But...when you come down to it, I never meant anything I said. I...I never _wanted_ you to leave. You were one of my longest standing friends, and, I thought you would love to be an uncle. Maybe not a playful one, but, I knew you would at least care. You preferred herd life to pack life, and, I thought that meant you liked being part of a family. I guess...I just thought of the wrong type of family. A-a-at least back then."

"I'm just...really _really_ sorry. I never, _ever_ wanted things to get like this between you and me, okay?" Shira squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lip from the sudden surge of pain.

* * *

"Manny." the saber cut him off. Manny stopped, staring at Diego hopefully. "You just saved my kids, and apologized for more than one of your screw ups. Just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"In the future, you won't make your apologies so long." After a moment they began to laugh, once again at ease with each other. Manny smiled, relieved that the saber no longer held a grudge.

* * *

"How touching. Sadly I _despise_ touching scenes." Diego whipped around to see that the black saber, whom had previously been rendered unconscious by his head slamming into a tree. Now he was struggling to his feet, glaring at the pair. Diego growled back and crouched down, wincing from the gash on his shoulder. "Oh how noble of you; standing up for your pathetic family." Manny then stepped in front of Diego protectively.

"As part of his family I don't appreciate being so underestimated." he said. The black saber blinked for a moment, before shaking his head and growling.

"Manny-"

"I'll be fine. You're hurt; go take care of Shira." Diego backed closer toward the den but didn't enter it. He couldn't just leave Manny all alone, even though it was pretty obvious the mammoth could hold his own against one saber. The black saber charged and leapt at Manny, who sidestepped him and swung his trunk, knocking the saber to the ground. He jumped back to his feet, but Manny was faster. He raised one foot and kicked his adversary, sending him straight into another tree.

Then he pinned the feline to the trunk with his tusk against his throat. The black saber struggled, but Manny refused to back down. Bitter blue eyes met determined brown ones as the black feline sneered, "Go ahead _mammoth_. Finish your fight." But Manny paused, glancing away. At last he heaved a great sigh, but didn't release the saber.

"I can't kill one of my friend's kind in front of him." he whispered. Diego's face slackened in surprise, and the black saber gave Manny and incredulous stare. Suddenly however, Diego heard Shira give a cry of pain and spun around, leaping into the hollow to see what was wrong.

* * *

Manny jerked his head upon hearing Shira's cry, but this action gave the black saber a chance to escape. He twisted away from Manny's tusk and landed on the ground, headed for the den. In an act of pure instinct, Manny surged forward and stabbed his tusk into the enemy's ribs. The saber stopped with a gasp, frozen on all fours, eyes wide. Manny waited only a moment before lifting the feline and throwing him away. His foe lay on the ground a few meters away, blood pouring uncontrollably from the wound. Panting, Manny glanced at his right tusk, noting the much larger bloodstain than the last time.

He pursed his lips and turned his eyes away, unnerved by the fact that something drew him towards injuring sabers. It was then that he heard the tiny cries from the newborn cub, and he looked back at the hollow. It wasn't long before all was quiet once more, and then he lumbered off towards the nearest river.

* * *

**So there's chapter 4! Sorry it took me forever to post! Plus forgive my math mistake about saying 21 reviews; I meant 27 since 9 times 3 = 27. But it did reach 27, 28 in fact! YAY! So yeah, I'm updating! Also sorry that I was so mean to the cubs and didn't give them any names or colors.**

So let your imagination run free and have them look how you want! I'm sure they'll be adorable however you see them. XD Plz review and tell me what you think! Thank you to:

SupeyNinjaZora19

FunkyWatermelon

Guest

rascalbalck12

MusicRocks807

Idon'tcaaare

Baby'sgotback

kperotti

mwang

for reviewing the previous chapter! :D


	5. Chapter 5

Brotherhood Trust

Diego nuzzled Shira gently as she panted, slowly calming down from the trauma of giving birth as five cubs cuddled up against her once again slim stomach. He smiled at the litter of tiny fluffballs, his heart proud yet melty. "What are they?" he whispered. Shira heaved a sigh before looking down at the cubs with a smile. Her paw gently brushed over the three firstborn in descending order.

"The three oldest are boys." she whispered. Then she gently patted the last two. "The youngest are both girls." Diego smiled and tenderly nuzzled his children, before a thought occurred to him. After giving Shira a loving bout of licks, he quietly scrambled out of the den and looked around. The black saber lay dead a few meters away, a large puncture wound flowing with blood in its side. After picking up a scent on the air, he took off to find the killer.

It didn't take a long sprint to find the mammoth washing his tusk in the river. He crouched in the shadows near the bank for a moment, allowing his friend some peace. After a few minutes had passed, he smoothly stepped out into the sunlight and cleared his throat quietly. Manny jumped and spun around in surprise, blinking at the saber. Diego lowered his ears and took a step forward. Manny thankfully saw this as nonthreatening and allowed him to approach. The saber sat at the edge of the water, watching as it rushed by, before looking up at his friend's eyes.

"Thank you." he whispered. Manny scoffed.

"For what?"

"For being a friend. For protecting my family. For trusting me."

"Well...I'm glad you uh...see things that way again."

"Manny...did you happen to come across two other sabers on your way?" The mammoth thought for a moment.

"Oh yeah! They looked a bit like you. I heard them talking about attacking you and Shira and decided to give them a good beating. I let 'em off after that, figuring they'd be too scared to come back." Diego chuckled.

"Well, at least that's two more threats out of the way." Silence reigned for a while, then Manny smiled and turned so that he faced Diego. Without warning, the mammoth gently wrapped his trunk around the saber, holding him close. Diego stiffened in surprise for a moment, trying to process the proper reaction. After a moment, he held one paw against the trunk, leaning into his friend. And he closed his eyes. In that moment, Diego realized that it in fact felt _good_to receive a simple hug.

There was nothing to dislike, nothing to be afraid of. Sid was of course still an entirely different matter, but this was actually very companion like. And finally, _finally_, Diego felt all uneasiness leave him. Not the way he had felt it before, where it was a rush of simple joy that he had been wrong, only to soon after have all his fears return. This time was different. He could feel every doubt of Manny being purged from him softly.

He sighed into the thick, brown fur, then gave a small smile. This wasn't just friendship; this was brotherhood. A feeling Diego hadn't even experienced with his littermates. And he realized, he _did_enjoy being a loving uncle. After a while they pulled apart, turning back to the river. "Hey buddy?" Manny asked.

"Yeah?" The mammoth sighed.

"You feel..._safer_, now, right?"

"Well of course."

"So...we're all still one big happy family, right?" Diego smirked and gave his friend a punch on the shoulder.

"Ow!" The two stared at each other for a moment, before smiling. "Thanks."

"Thank _you_." Manny suddenly smirked deviously and noogied the saber's head. "Hey! Cut that out!" Diego demanded with a smile, to which the mammoth chuckled and complied.

"So how long is Shira gonna' have to stay in there?

"Until the cubs have opened their eyes and learned to walk. Once they have we can move back into the cave with everyone else." The joy that lit Manny's eyes didn't go unnoticed by the saber.

"And how long is that gonna' take?"

"Well, on average they open their eyes at ten days old, and no mother let's them out of the birth den until their eight weeks old." Diego replied. Manny nodded.

"It'll go by fast."

"_Oh_ yeah."

* * *

**So that's ****_not_**** the end of Brotherhood Trust! What did you guys think? I actually wrote out these five chapters and then uploaded them at intervals, but due to popular demand there will be a sixth chapter. But that's it. XD Anyways, please review and tell me what you think! :D And you know what's awesome? Since I'm counting by nines for chapter reviews, I wanted to get at least 36 reviews for the previous chapter, and guess what?**

**I got 39 before posting this one! :D You guys are so AWESOME! So yeah, I'm hoping for the story over all to get at least 54 reviews after I post chapter 6, but don't be afraid to post one even after the review count reaches 54! Thank you to:**

**aqualina111**

**Idon'tcaaare**

**MusicRocks807**

**FunkyWatermelon**

**rascalblack12**

**mwang**

**A. G. Wicked**

**Michelle**

**TheJoyousCrosser**

**fro reviewing the previous chapter! Plz review this one and tell me what you guys think! Next chapter will be posted at 45 reviews!**


	6. Chapter 6

Brotherhood Trust

Diego smiled and nudged his cubs along as they stumbled over the ground. Shira was doing the same thing, mostly keeping the two females in line while Diego handled the rowdy and ever eager, older boys. Although he thought that it was a little unfair since he had to keep track of three while Shira only had to watch two, he was glad to finally get a little physical time with his offspring. At last they arrived at the cave where the herd stayed, said herd outside the entrance and enjoying themselves. Diego and Shira gently herded the cubs over to a general area where the rest of the family was, intent on keeping them within sight of the new den. Crash and Eddie, excited and rambunctious as ever, were the first to run over and greet them. As the entirety of the herd came over to inspect the newest members, the cubs were endlessly entertained.

Manny, Ellie, and Peaches hung back slightly, Manny especially, afraid of accidentally hurting the tiny cats. Since the saber family had come to the cave late afternoon, it wasn't long before evening arrived and the cubs began to tire. Everyone retired to the cave, ready for a good night's sleep and eager to see the cubs again in the morning. Diego and Shira situated themselves in the very back of the den for safety, Shira laying with her back to the wall and the cubs against her stomach. Diego sat for a while after everyone had fallen asleep, watching his family with protective, appreciative eyes. Soft rumblings soon reached his ear, and he flicked it in acknowledgement. "Hey." Manny greeted quietly.

"Hey." he replied. The mammoth approached as quietly as he could and laid himself beside the saber.

* * *

Manny's eyes roved over each cub fondly. "So, what were their names again?" he whispered. Diego reached over and gently stroked the oldest, a boy; his fur was white and grey like Shira's and he also had her stripes. His head was like Diego's though; a thinner face and longer chin, as well as his father's green eyes if Manny remembered correctly.

"Jedediah is the oldest." he whispered back softly. Jedediah gave a squeak and rolled over, as though disturbed by his father's paw. Diego only smirked and chuckled. "The next oldest is Mike." Manny turned his eyes to the second born, who was also grey and white with Shira's stripes, and had her eye color as well, but again the shape and proportions of his head was the same as his father. Mike grumbled in his high pitched voice and rubbed at his eye with his front paw, no provocation required, before settling back down. "The youngest boy is Duran." Diego continued, looking pointedly at the last pale furred cub.

Manny was slightly surprised by Duran's coloring; he was white all over, and had the same stripe pattern as Shira, only they were orange. He too had the same head shape and proportions as his father, and if Manny remembered correctly, Duran also had Diego's eyes. The third born cub let out a wide yawn, whining slightly as it came to an end. Manny couldn't help but smile. "And the two girls?" he asked. Diego gently brushed the face of the oldest female with his paw.

"The oldest girl is Becka." he whispered. Becka had her father's orange and white fur coloring, but Manny remembered her having blue eyes like Shira. She also had the wider head and smaller chin of her mother. Becka batted at Diego's paw in her sleep, causing both mammoth and saber to chuckle.

"And the last one?" Diego's soft eyes turned to the last born cub.

"The youngest...Shira wanted to name her after a best friend." Manny took note of the little girl's orange and white fur, like Diego, only she had Shira's black stripes and her mothers wide face and smaller chin. Manny faintly remembered her having green eyes.

"What did she decide?" Diego's lips suddenly spread into a wide grin as his youngest pursed her lips determinedly, swatting a paw at the air, no doubt having a dream of battle.

"Raz." he whispered back.

"The kangaroo?" Diego shot him an annoyed look.

"Don't question my mate's methods. She was lucky enough to have friends growing up."

"Right, sorry." Silence filled the cave once more as young, saber Raz continued batting at the air with her paws, fighting an unseen foe. And apparently winning. "Raz, huh?"

"Yep."

* * *

**Okay, NOW it's over! You all wanted to see what the cubs looked like so much I decided to have one last chapter added where we got to see the little fluffballs. And of course I had fun with it. XD So what did you guys think? Plz review! Thank you to:**

FunkyWatermelon

MusicRocks807

Idont'caaare

Elisheva P. (the first chapter so far but in the time span for reviews for chapter 5)

MeHasBadGrammar

rascalblack12 (who was indeed reviewer number 45 ;))

for reviewing the previous chapter! I do hope that you all and anyone else who reads this chapter will boost the count to 54! Thanks again to all who reviewed, favorited, and followed this story! You guys are AWESOME! :D


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